We’re moving ibiblio physically and networkedly to MCNC and NCREN. In theory, folks that go to ibiblio for software, radio, legal music, archives of history and technology resources (to name a few categories) will only see better performance and better response. We’ll see opportunities for stronger research relationships, more innovative networking solutions and experiments (we already do IPv6 streaming with those groups), more economic hosting, better opportunities for expansion as needed, and access to better bandwidth availability and pricing.

First to be moved will be the radio streams. They should change tonight if all goes as planned.

I just did an brief interview with the MCNC PR folks. I said something like:

We are delighted to be working with an innovative and creative and affordable group like MCNC and with Joel Dunn and Mark Johnson in particular. MCNC really stepped up with some imaginative solutions to our bandwidth situation and added extremely reliable hosting (far above industry standards) while allowing us to keep our involvements in Internet2 and National Lambda Rail (among others). Thanks to their good work, ibiblio will be cutting its operating expenses by 2/3s while increasing bandwidth, increasing research involvment, getting room for expansion and will be located in an extremely well-planned and well-provisioned computerroom at the nexis of the RTP commercial and educational network crossroads of our region.

Yes, UNC-CH does have a fast connection, but we want and need additional flexibilities in both technical and administrative areas to allow us to do new and innovative projects more quickly and effectively — and more economically. The new relationship with MCNC/NCREN hosting allows that to happen more better ;->
Soon we’ll be one of the biggest information providers on the National Lambda Rail and we’ll be experimenting with very effective ways to mix research needs with providing services to folks who use ibiblio for all kinds of things from all kinds of connects all over the world.
And we’ll save money by doing so.